Iran's new president Rouhani takes oath of office

Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, waves after swearing in at the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Iran's new president on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. Rouhani spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament Sunday, capping a weekend that saw him endorsed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's s
— AP

Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, waves after swearing in at the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Iran's new president on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. Rouhani spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament Sunday, capping a weekend that saw him endorsed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's s
/ AP

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, who was a candidate of the June 14 presidential election, waves as he attends the swearing-in ceremony of the new President, Hasan Rouhani, at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grindin— AP

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, who was a candidate of the June 14 presidential election, waves as he attends the swearing-in ceremony of the new President, Hasan Rouhani, at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grindin
/ AP

Foreign diplomats in Iran listen to the translation of a speech by Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, unseen, in his swearing-in ceremony at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)— AP

Foreign diplomats in Iran listen to the translation of a speech by Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, unseen, in his swearing-in ceremony at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
/ AP

Iran's parliament presiding board members, top row, Iranian and foreign leaders and top officials, all back to camera, listen to Iran's national anthem at the start of the ceremony for the new President Hasan Rouhani's swearing-in at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hop— AP

Iran's parliament presiding board members, top row, Iranian and foreign leaders and top officials, all back to camera, listen to Iran's national anthem at the start of the ceremony for the new President Hasan Rouhani's swearing-in at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Rouhani replaced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was in power since 2005. Rouhani on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hop
/ AP

Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, left, and judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani, greet each other after Rouhani swore-in at the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Iran's new president on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. Rouhani spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament Sunday, capping a weekend— AP

Iran's new President Hasan Rouhani, left, and judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani, greet each other after Rouhani swore-in at the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Iran's new president on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with his country over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people. Rouhani spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament Sunday, capping a weekend
/ AP

TEHRAN, Iran 
Iran's new president on Sunday called on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with the Islamic Republic over its contentious nuclear program, hoping to ease the economic pressures now grinding its people.

President Hasan Rouhani spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament, capping a weekend that saw him endorsed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader.

Rouhani, a moderate cleric who won a landslide victory in the June 14 presidential elections, continued his call for dialogue with the West while asking foreign powers to respect Iran in its negotiations.

"If you seek a suitable answer, speak to Iran through the language of respect, not through the language of sanctions," the president said in a speech broadcast live by Iranian state television. He later added that any negotiations would require "bilateral trust building, mutual respect and the lessening of hostilities."

Iran is under United Nations sanctions as well as unilateral Western oil and banking sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to power reactors producing electricity or build nuclear weapons.

Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and geared towards generating electricity and producing radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.

Rouhani replaces President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who struck a hard-line approach when dealing with the West and its sanctions over the nuclear program. The sanctions have hit the country's vital oil exports and blocked transactions on international banking networks. Inflation is running at more than 35 percent. The Iranian rial has lost more than two-thirds of its value against the U.S. dollar since late 2011.

Many Iranians and foreign diplomats hope that Rouhani, a former top nuclear negotiator, can strike a more conciliatory tone in negotiations. Those hopes could be seen by the attendance at his swearing in, as the audience included leaders and other representatives from more than 50 countries. It was the first time since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution that foreign dignitaries attended the swearing-in ceremony of an Iranian president.

In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Rouhani's inauguration represented "an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over Iran's nuclear program."

"Should this new government choose to engage substantively and seriously to meet its international obligations and find a peaceful solution to this issue, it will find a willing partner in the United States," Carney said in a statement.

During his speech, Rouhani said Iran opposes "any change in political systems through foreign intervention." Iran is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose country remains in the grips of a bloody two-year civil war. Assad's government has received fighters from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, helping government forces gain ground in recent weeks.

"Peace and stability in all neighboring regions is a need and necessity for Iran," Rouhani said.

Syria's state-run news agency SANA reported Sunday that Rouhani told Syria's prime minister that no force in the world would shake the alliance between the two countries. Syria has been Tehran's strongest ally in the Arab world since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.